Real Examples of

Water Adjustment
NorCal/SoCal Joint Meeting 2014
Paso Robles

John Palmer
TM Palmer Brewing Solutions, Inc.
Key Concepts A Review
Know Your Source Water.
Beer and Brewing is Food and Cooking.
Water minerals are your seasoning.
Residual Alkalinity is the Cornerstone of Mash pH.
The Mash pH is the Equilibrium between the Water
Chemistry and the Malt Chemistry.
The Mash pH sets up the Beer pH.
Beer pH drives the beer flavors.
 Source Water
Surface Water is typically low in minerals and
high in organics.
Surface water generally needs more chlorination
than ground water.

Ground Water is typically low in organics but

higher in minerals.
Ground water is typically higher in alkalinity than
hardness.

Many cities change their water source during the

year.
Water Affects Beer Flavor
Seasoning Balance: Sulfate to Chloride Ratio
More Sulfate = drier, more assertive hops
More Chloride = rounder, fuller, sweeter malt

Amount of Seasoning

Water Residual Alkalinity drives Mash pH,

Mash pH drives Beer pH,
Beer pH drives beer flavor expression.
 Sulfate to Chloride Ratio
The Ratio can affect the balance of the beer
Dryness vs. Fullness

It is not magic 40:10 400:100

Useful range is 9:1 to 0.5:1

Maximum suggested sulfate is 500 ppm
Maximum suggested chloride is 200 ppm
Recommend not to exceed 100 ppm chloride for high
ratios.
Recommend to not exceed combined sum of 500 ppm.
 TDS Effect Total Dissolved
Solids
Light vs Heavy Seasoning
Bohemian Pilsner
Rich, malty beer backed by large soft bitterness.
Smooth finish balanced between malt and hops. No
sharp edges.

German Pils
Crisp and bitter hop forward character, followed by
clean malt and dry finish. This is a beer defined by
clean edges.

Dortmunder Export
Balanced rich malt and firm dry bitterness. A castle of
beer structure.
Why Do We Care About Mash
pH?
The key point for control of pH throughout
the brewing process is during mashing. This
is due to the major influence that can be
exerted at this stage on the content and
format of the buffer systems that will operate
subsequently in the wort and beer.
Taylor, D.G., The Importance of pH Control
during Brewing, MBAA Tech. Quart. 27:131-136,
1990.
Mash pH Sets Up Beer pH

5.2-5.6

3.8-4.7
Style/recipe
dependent
 What Does Beer pH Do?
The beer pH affects how the beer flavors are
perceived by the palate.
Spaghetti Sauce Example
pH is too acidic: Its bright but not rich, one dimensional.
pH is too basic: Its rich but dull, boring.
pH just right: Bright, Rich, Complex flavors.

Beer Flavor is the same:

pH is too high, malt character is dull, bitterness is heavy.
pH is too low, malt flavor is sharp, but one dimensional,
hop character is reduced.
Mash pH is the Equilibrium between
Water Chemistry and Malt Chemistry
The affect of water chemistry can be quantified by
Kolbachs Residual Alkalinity.

The affect of malt chemistry can be quantified by

The distilled water mash pH of the malt (ie., Congress Mash
pH)
The titrated acidity of the malt for the pH range in question.
The buffering capacity of malt (mEq/kg/pH) is not linear.
Crankers Brewery, Big Rapids, MI
Brew the same pale ale recipe with 2 different
waters:
Big Rapids Water (High Residual Alkalinity)
Water designed for Pale Ale (Low Residual Alk)

Serve the beers to BJCP Master Judges to

experience the difference.
Would they prefer the Low RA pale ale over the
High RA pale ale?
 Big Rapids Water
Parameter Big Rapids Pale Ale Suggestion
Calcium 40 50-150
Magnesium 19 0-30
Total Alkalinity 180 40-120
Sulfate 10 100-400
Chloride 10 0-100
Sodium 15 <100
Residual Alkalinity 140 (-30) - 30
The Water Adjustment Plan
The Water was adjusted with Gypsum to raise
the calcium and sulfate levels
15 grams per 10 gallons

The water was acidified with lactic acid to reduce

the total alkalinity and the residual alkalinity
7 milliliters of 88% Solution per 10 gallons

This treatment was done to all brewing water in

the hot liquor tank.
 Adjusted Pale Ale Water
Parameter Adjusted Pale Ale Suggestion
Calcium 130 50-150
Magnesium 19 0-30
Total Alkalinity 70 40-120
Sulfate 230 100-400
Chloride 10 0-100
Sodium 15 <100
Residual Alkalinity -35 (-30) - 30
 Big Rapids vs Adjusted
Parameter Big Rapids Adjusted
OG 1.048 1.048
FG 1.011 1.011
IBU 40 40
Mash pH 5.5 5.25
Beer pH 4.6 4.5
 Judges Evaluation of Pale
Ale
Triangle Test of 3 Beers were presented to 5 Master judges.

Judge Big Rapids Adjusted Adjusted

Dave 41 38 36
Jeff 37 41 38
Don 32 36 41
Bob 38 36 41
Phil 44 36 37
Judges Scores for Pale Ale
Category A B C (B)
Aroma 8.6 8.6 9.2
Appearance 3 3 3
Flavor 15.2 14.4 14.8
Mouthfeel 4.2 4 3.6
Overall 7.4 7.4 7.6
Total 38.4 37.4 38.6
 Comments for Beer A
I really like the grainy malt character...lower bitterness than
B or C.
This was the best of the bunch for me...medium dry finish
has a nice blend of resin and malt.
Needs more hop presence all around for style. Needs to be
(more) dry and crisp.
Malt (slightly dominates)...more late hop additions will bring
balance to the beer
Needs more attenuation...could use more malt backbone.
 Comments for Beer B
...there is a touch of harshness that hurts the dry
finish...bitterness adjustment would help.
Beer is IPA-like in bitterness.
Hops dominate more like IPA than APA. Finish a bit
sweet but balanced. Bit minerally in finish.
Beer is very quaffable. Hops balance malt.
Hop expression is muted and finish is a bit sweet for
style.
 Comments for Beer C
Moderate hop bitterness balances but finish is fleeting.

Balance favors bitter, but just slightly. High end of style.

Finishes with lingering bitterness that clears quickly.

...just enough malt to keep it from being a hop bomb.

Finish is a bit chalky.

Bitterness is medium and balances the very attenuated

malt well. No flaws (off-flavors)
 Judging Summary
No statistical difference between beers in terms of
adherence to style.

However, people have their own preferences, and the

judges were split over which version they scored
highest.

What does this mean to you?

You can taste the difference between these two beers.
Adjust the water and brew the beer YOU like.
Ballast Point Pilot Batches
Two pilot batches of single hop variety Azacca IPA
were made:
Burtonized Water built from RO
120 Ca, 22 Mg, 0 Total Alk, 272 SO4, 76 Cl, 0 Na, -99
RA

Pilsen IPA water (using CaCl2, MgSO4)

54 Ca, 9 Mg, 0 Total Alk, 34 SO4, 96 Cl, 0 Na, -44 RA
 Wort pH vs Time
Wort pH Burton
5.6
120 Ca
5.5
-99 RA
5.4

pH 5.3 Pilsen
Burton IPA pH
5.2 Pilsen IPA pH 54 Ca
5.1 -44 RA
5
0 1 2 3 4
First, Last, Knockout

Significant pH rise during lautering for Pilsen water.

 Wort Gravity vs Time
Wort Gravity Burton
25 120 Ca
20
-99 RA
15 Pilsen
Plato

10
Burton IPA P 54 Ca
Pilsen IPA P
-44 RA
5

0
0 1 2 3 4
First, Last, Knockout

82% Efficiency vs. 74% Efficiency

 Summary of Trends
Limited Data - Take with a grain of salt.

Water Adjustment can make significant differences

in the flavor of the same recipe.

Water Adjustment can affect yield of the same

recipe.
Questions?